Film-cleaning machine



H. A. SUHRCKE.

FILM CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 15. 1920.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. A. SUHRCKE.

FILM CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION HLED MAR.15, 1920.

1,398,811. PatentedNov. 29,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHE 2.

Iriveprar' R H- 6fihrclre HI/ bbey UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

HARRY ADOLF S'il'I-IRCKE, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY.

I FILM-CLEANING MACI-IlINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 29, 1921 Application filed March 15, 1920. Serial No. 366,179.

T all 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY ADOLF Stir-mom], a citizen of Germany, residing at Hamburg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Film- Oleaning Machines, (for which I have filed application in Germany, January 23rd,

' is guided in such a manner over the pressure pads located opposite the cleaning wheels that the film band at all places of contact with the cleaning wheels moves in the same direction as the latter and that the necessary resistance against a too powerful feed is effected by the pressure pad surface, while the tension in the film hand is reduced.

In the known film cleaning machines, which treat both sides of the film at the same time, the cleaning wheels, which all rotate in the opposite direction to the travel of the film band, ofier such a strong resistance to the film band being pulled through, that a considerable expenditure of force is required and a strong tension is produced in the band, which may easily cause the latter to tear. For overcoming this tension, on the film band being pulled through, special means are also required for causing the band to travel. I

According to the invention these drawbacks are avoided by the special way the film band is guided at the places of contact of the cleaning wheels. By the band traveling at all places of contact in the same direction as the cleaning pulleys, it is given a certain forward feed. This is compensated by pressure pads being provided at the places of contact, which produce sufiicient braking action, to enable the emerging end of the band to be rolled up almost without tension.

In order that between the paying out drum and the first of the places of contact of the film band with the cleaning wheels there may be no sagging in consequence of the intermittent rotation and the momentum of the paying out drum, the latter is provided with weak braking means. The slight tension produced by this weak braking means in the emerging end of the band is suflic1ent to insure its being tightly wound on the receiving drum.

The accompanying drawing shows a constructional example of the invention, in whieh- Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 an elevation of the pressure pad on a largerscale;

'Fig. 4 acrosssectionalong AB of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 5 is a back elevation corresponding to Fig. 3. The film band a is passed from the pay mg out drum Z) in the direction of the arrow under a guiding roller 0 and from thence over a flat pressure pad d, which lies oppo site a cleaning wheel traveling in the same direction as the film band a. From there the film band passes under a further guiding roller 0 which regulates the paying out of the film band from the pressure pad (Z in such a manner that the film band a contacts with the whole surface of the pressure pad and is conveyed over a further guiding roller 0 at the opposite side of the cleaning pulley over, a small pressure pad d, which is also adapted to press the film against the first cleaning pulley. On traveling farther, the film band passes straight over a third pressure pad d, over which a second cleaning pulley 6 lies, which also rotates in the same direction as the film band travels, and passes "thence similarly as in the first cleaning wheel through further guiding rollers 0 around the cleaning pulley to a place of contact on the opposite side with a further pressure pad d. A further guiding roller 0 insures the film leaving the fourth pressure pad, the film band passing from thence to the winding-up drum f. The film hand is thus guided from the paying out drum in such a manner that it contacts twice with each cleaning pulley running in the direction of the film band, in the case of one cleaning pulley with one of its sides and in the case of the other cleaning pulley with its other side. The specialdisposition of the pressure pads in connection with the arrangement of the cleaning pulleys enables the film band to be passed through in the quickest and simplest manner (in a Z-shaped path).

On the paying out drum 5 there is a trailing spring 9 2), which exercises a weak braking effect on the film drum, so that an intermittent or unintentional unrolling caused by the momentum and a sagging caused thereby of that part of the band lying between the first pressure pad and the paying out drum is reduced.

The cleaning rollers rotate at a considerably higher speed than that at which the film advances. By the film band a resting on the even surface of the pressure pads (Z a frictional resistance is obtained, which prevents the film band a being carried along too fast by the rotary motion of the cleaning pulleys. To this friction on the pressure pads d is added a slight braking of the paying out drum 5, so that the actuating ma chine acting on the receiving drum 7 need only develop the small actuating force requisite for overcoming the weak retarding forces. The tension in the film band a is very small in consequence of the direction of travel of the band and of the cleaning wheels and the small retarding resistances.

The pressure pads 03 are provided on the side facing the cleaning wheels with a recess, which is bounded by two inclined side plates 72, fixed to a wooden block j and by a bottom plate 2' bent downward at both ends. Above the plate 1 there is a flannel band (Fig 4), the ends of which are wrapped around two rollers on the pressure pad. The film band passes over the soft band 70 and between the side plates h. lVhen the flannel band 4 is worn, a clean part of the said band may be unrolled, by turning the rollers Z.

The four pressure pads (Z are fixed to the ends of one-armed levers m (Figs. 3 and 5). The levers m are rotatably mounted on bolts '21- on the fixed plate 0, which also carries the cleaning wheels 6. On bolts 39 of the levers m, which project through slots in the plate 0, rods 9 are rotatably fixed at the back of the plate 0, which rods each connect two lever arms m which are similarly positioned, that is, contact with the cleaning wheels below or above. Each rod Q is connected by means of a connecting piece 1" with a guiding rod 8 of the hand lever 10 in such a manner that the rods 8 lying at both sides of the axis of rotation of the lever 14 mounted on the plate 0 project displaceably through holes in the connecting pieces 7. Between the connecting piece 0* and a collar or disk on the rods 5 there are provided springs t which insure a determined position of rest of the lever u in relation to the connecting pieces r or the rods On the lever a being moved out of its position of rest, in which the rods 9 with the lever arms on of the pressure pads are so positioned that contact is just taking place between the pressure pads (Z and the cleaning pulleys 6, into the top end position which is limited by a suitable stop, an upward movement of the upper and a downward movement of the lower pressure pads 03 will take place in consequence of the efi'ect on the connecting pieces r and the rods All four pressure pads are moved simultaneously from the cleaning wheels. When the lever a is laid over into its other end position, the guiding rods 8 are displaced in the holes of the connecting pieces 7" against the pressure of the springs t, and all the pads d are again pressed against the cleaning wheels under the equal pressure of the springs t. The lever u can be fixed in different pressure positions by suitable latches or pawls. The pressure of the springs t can be further regulated by tightening the springs by means of nuts so that the same pressure conditions can be obtained on all the pressure pads.

The cleaning wheels 6 are fixed to shafts of two motors c (Fig. 1) which are mounted behind the plate 0. The two motors are started simultaneously by a common start ing device w.

For the purpose of adjusting the guiding means for the band, when the cleaning wheels are considerably worn, the guiding rollers 0 are displaceable in slots in the plate 0.

The dirty film band on the paying out drum (2 is guided over the pressure pads at and the cleaning wheels 6 along the Z-shaped path, as shown in the drawing, and is wound on the receiving drum This latter drum f, on the pressure pads d being suitably tensioned by means of the lever it, receives the film band completely cleaned on both sides in one operation.

In consequence of the direction of motion of the cleaning wheels and the film band being the same, the film band is advanced by an amount which is compensated by the braking action resulting from the special manner of guiding the film band over the pressure pads to such an extent that the film band is advanced through and wound up without tension. This not only affords a saving of power, but the danger of tearing the film band is also reduced. The flat construction of the pressure pads also further reduces the danger of the joints in the band tearing. By the special, relative arrangement of the cleaning wheels and the pressure pads and the Z-shaped path given to the film band, the whole construction is simplified, and the number of guiding rollers required is reduced, so that the losses by friction are reduced to a minimum by this manner of guiding the band.

What I claim is a 1. A film cleaning machine of the type in which the film band is guided, for being band is passed across pressure pads lying opposite the cleaning wheels in such a manner that the film band moves at all places of contact with the cleaning wheels in the same direction as the latter and that the forward feed of the film, caused by its being carried along by the cleaning wheels, is compensated by the braking effect of the surface of the pressure pads.

2. A film cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 1, in which pressure pads lying oppo site the cleaning wheels are formed as fixed fiat tracks across which the film band is con veyed by means of guiding rollers.

3. A film cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 1, in which the film band is conveyed along a Z-shaped path, around cleaning wheels and across the pressure pads in such a manner that the film band contacts with a very short portion of its length with all the cleaning wheels which rotate in the same direction as the film band travels.

4'. A film cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 1, in which all the pressure pads are connected by levers with a hand lever through the intermediary of springs in such a manner that they maybe simultaneously displaced and adjustably pressed against the film.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY ADOLF sUHRoKE.

Witnesses:

ULRICH Mr'iLLnR, WILH. HARMs. 

